House-door letter-box



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. W.C. THORNTON.

HHHH E DOOR LETTER BOX. l Y

Y Patented May 17, 1892.

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HOUSE DOOR LBTTERBOX. No. 475,096'. Patented May 17,1892.

S31/wanton @dr l l UNITED STATES PATENT OEI-TICE.

VILLIAM CLARK THORNTON, OF JEFFERSONY CITY, MISSOURI.

HOUSE-DOOR LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,096, dated May 1'?, 1892.

Application iiled J'une l0, 1891. Serial No. 395,775. (No model.)

, cation.

This invention relates lnore particularly to a combined delivery and collection box in which the letters to be mailed and the delivered letters are inserted in the same opening and deposited in their respective boxes for collection or delivery, as the case may be.

The objectof Inyinvention is to provide a device of this character consisting of a few parts simply assembled and thoroughly efficient in their various functions; and it consists in the peculiar construction and arrangemeut of these parts, all of which will be fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, forming a part of this specifoation, Figure l is a transverse Vertical section of my improved device. Fig. 2 is an end View. Fig. 3 is a view of the opposite end. Fig. 4t is a front view, and Fig. 5 a somewhat different construction.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a box or casing of any suitable or preferred construction and within which is journaled a delivery device B, which serves as a closure for a deposit-box B. The delivery device may be of any well-known or preferred construction, and consists, substantially, of a cylinder provided with a longitudinal diametrical slot b, extending therethrough and which is adapted to receive mail-matter to be deposited. For operating the delivery device a crank-arm D is provided without the box. The box or casing A has an opening D, adapted to register with the slot in the delivery device, and for the purpose of guiding mailrnatter into said slot two guide-plates D D may be employed, which are hinged one at each side of the opening D and project inwardly and normally engage the slot b. In connection with the letter-box an alarln device E and a newspaper-box F may also be employed. It will be understood, however,

that the vconstruction of the delivery mechanism pefr se, the alarmV mechanism, and paperbox form no part of my present invention,

such subject-matter being embodied in my apj edge. One of the journals of the plate G is squared or shaped polygonally, as at g, and opposite said squared journal the end of the box is cut away to permit a key G to engage the end of the journal, and a slide H is arranged upon the exterior of the box adapted to cover said opening when the key is not upon the journal; By turning the key either backward or forward the upper end of the slide-plate is swung either backward or forward, and the letters, after being delivered by the delivery device, will strike upon said plate and be slid either forward or backward, according to the incline of the slide-plate. I

The box A is adapted to be secured to the outside of the door, and, if desired, a slot a may be produced therein just above the lower edge of the slide-plate, said slot registering with a slot in the door, and by turning the key forward the letters will be conducted to the slot in the door and deposited within the house. Vhen the occupant desires to mail a letter forcollection, the key is reversed. Consequently the slide-plate, andthe letters are slid forwardtinto the box, from which they are removed by the carrier through the door A hinged to the forward side of the box A. If desired, the slot a' may be omitted and a vertical partition K arranged in the bottom of the box B below the adjustable slide-plate, dividing the lower portion of the box into a forward and rear compartment, the forward compartment being the collectionbox and the rear one being the delivery-box, thecollectionbox being opened by the carrier and the delivery-box by the occupant. The collectionbox has its forward side curved inward and downward to properly assemble the letters deposited therein, and a supplemental box or drawer L is usually arrangedin the deliverybox and formed with a curved side to assemble the letters and prevent clogging. An opening M is produced in one end of the collection-box, by means of which a sight into ICO the box canbe had Without opening the same. This `openinglis also closed bya "slide M', whereby the box is rendered Weather-proof.

When an occupant desires to mail a letter for collection, the slide covering the polygonal-shaped journal is raised, the keyinserted, and the slide-plate thrown rearward. lThe letter is then inserted between the guideplates, the crank operated, and'the letter Will be delivered to the slide-plate and conducted to the collection-box. The slide-plate is then reversed7 and when the carrier comes .the letter will bc'delivered to thed'e'livery-box or through the door and the alarm sounded.

lt is obvious these boxes. can be made any size and used fupon= hotel, postfoftice," and streetcollection-boxes.

Having thus describedmyinvention;iwhat Ielaim isf- 1. The con'nbinatiomWithf-aletter-boxl provided* at I"its tupper` endiwithan4 opening',4 ofi a `delivery device normal-ly cl'osinglsaid opening land adapted'to' deposit mail-matter in'thebox,

"ing'andfadaptedto deposit mail-matter into the box, and a plate journaled in the box and adapted to be adj usted to deflect deposits into either a collection orvdeliveryA compartment, one ofthe journalsv for 'said'plate having an angular end for the engagement of a key and a slide for covering the same, substantially as set forth.

'In-.testimony whereof I atx mysignatur'e in -presenceof two- Witnesses.

' 'WILLIAM CLARK THORNTON.

`W.itnesses:

DANL. GUNDELFINGER, 13.1 SJMORROW. 

